Broken Pottery
by catsrae
Summary: Who is responsible for disrupting the livelihoods of the ordinary citizens of Hyrule? What can this evil want?


This started out as a random plot bunny that's been in my head for most of the summer. I've worked on a little at a time, but couldn't quite figure out how to finish it. It doesn't necessarily link to any of the games in particular, although it probably fits best somewhere after 'Ocarina of Time'; it really doesn't make any difference if you've played that game or not, though. There's no ship, except maybe hints of ZeLink if you look hard enough.

So, read and review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Legend of Zelda (except for four of the games-none of which I've finished). Everything you recognize from somewhere else is property of Nintendo.

* * *

Broken Pottery

The potter looked up from the dish he was painting as the door to his shop opened. He smiled as the daughter of Kakariko's most influential woman-and one of his best customers-walked in the door.

"Good morning, Kallie. What can I do for you this morning?"

She smiled back. "Good morning. I'm here to pick up my mother's order. Is it finished?"

"Yes, yes, I finished it yesterday; took it out of the oven last night to cool. I'm very pleased with how it came out-your mother will love it! Just let me get it from the back room…"

He walked into the little room where he stored finished pots waiting to be picked up and stopped short, unable to believe what he saw.

"Mr. Ralen? What's wrong?" Kallie called when he didn't appear after ten minutes.

"Th-they're all broken. Every single one of them, destroyed!"

"What? How?"

Ralen came back into the main shop, shards of hand painted pottery in his hands, tears running down his cheeks. "I-I don't know."

Earlier that same morning, a farmer walked back into his kitchen after being in his fields near Castle Town for only half an hour.

"What's wrong, Ted? You're not hurt are you?" his wife asked.

"No, I'm alright. Come out here for a minute, will you? Tell me I'm crazy."

"What? You're not crazy. Come on, what's wrong?" She followed him out the door. "Nayru!" She stopped suddenly.

"So I'm not crazy. Wish I was."

"What happened?"

"I have no idea. All I know is this field was waist-high last night. Now look at it. Not even stubble."

"What'll we do this winter? This was our best crop!"

Ted wrapped his arms around his wife. "I don't know."

They stood there, gazing at their ruined wheat, all of it chopped down to ground-level.

These scenes were repeated all over Hyrule, as its citizens woke up to find their crops cut down and pots shattered. Several families discovered their life's savings missing from the chests in their basements and back rooms. Even the Gorons were affected-they found rock shards everywhere; not a single unbroken stone remained on Death Mountain.

Finally, news reached Hyrule Castle Town. The reports filled up Princess Zelda's desk and spilled over onto the floor. Still, she insisted on reading all of them herself, pouring over the details.

"I just don't understand," she told her assistant, "I thought Link got rid of all the evil creatures in Hyrule."

"Maybe it's not a moblin," her assistant replied.

"Who else would do all this? People's livelihoods are destroyed. Only a monster would be so cruel."

"Then perhaps you should send for the Hero. If there are still monsters in Hyrule, he'd be the best one to take care of them."

Zelda nodded, "Good idea."

She wrote out a brief message to Link and gave it to a messenger.

"I only hope he can help…"

It wasn't long before the messenger returned, without the Hero.

Zelda looked up, "Where is he? I asked him to come before leaving…"

"He wasn't at his house. It didn't look like anyone had been there for a while, actually."

Zelda paled. Now she was truly worried; if Link was missing, there must be someone powerful behind these crimes.

"Perhaps he is merely staying with a friend. Don't worry, Your Highness; we'll find him," her assistant assured her.

"You're right. Send guards to the Gorons, Zoras, Lon Lon Ranch; anywhere that Link has visited before and might be staying for a few days. In the meantime, I've got other ways to get in touch with him. I'll try those."

"It will be done, Your Highness."

Zelda knew she couldn't perform the necessary magic until she calmed down, so she decided to take a walk in the castle gardens to calm her mind. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and the gardens were always peaceful.

As she neared the gardens, however, Zelda realized they weren't as peaceful as usual. She could hear a rhythmic swooshing sound, punctuated by an occasional metallic clink.

"What in the world?"

Zelda silently crept the last few feet to look out into the gardens and gasped.

"Link?"

The green-clad hero looked up, startled. He had his sword in one hand, a green rupee in the other, and was surrounded by freshly cut grass and bushes. He grinned sheepishly.

"I was broke."

* * *

Am I the only one who's ever wondered how Link's destructive tendencies affect the rest of Hyrule?

Did you see it coming? I hope someone out there was fooled for at least a few lines. Don't forget to review! I welcome constructive criticism; flames will be ignored and deleted.


End file.
